Remember way back when I arrived and I mentioned that our new home needed some roof repairs? Well, the roofers left a shingle dangling from one of our trees. I’ve been looking at it since August and… ignoring it as best I can.

See, the limb on which this shingle is caught is too tall for our ladder to reach. So, I’ve just lamented that this ugly thing was decorating our tree, and I’ve done absolutely nothing about it.

When there were leaves on the trees, it was easier to ignore. There were other issues attracting my attention, and the shingle was kind of hidden. In the starkness of the tree’s bare limbs in winter, though, the shingle really stands out. It doesn’t belong there. It’s an eyesore. It isn’t what I want for the space I inhabit. I want it gone.

You’d think I would do something about it since it bothers me so much. Like, I would have opened the window nearest the tree and gotten a long-handled ice chipper to knock the thing to the ground.

That seems like a lot of work though. And it could be a little dangerous. I haven’t really tried, but I can imagine that it would be uncomfortable at the very least. Plus, opening the window would let a lot of cold air into the house, and that could raise my heating bill. Not much, but still. It could cost me something.

No, I guess I’m just stuck with having an ugly shingle on the tree limb.

As Unitarian Universalists: We affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. That vision might seem way beyond our control. And yet, as Unitarian Universalists, we all acknowledge that we’re responsible for living into that vision.

When we embrace responsibility for the things we do clearly control, we begin to understand what it is to live in a way that embodies our values. In other words, how we handle the small things in our lives might be a reflection of how we handle bigger challenges.

We can ignore them (sort of). We can wait for someone else to take care of them. Or we can take responsibility for how we respond and embody our values as best we can. Not ignoring the challenges inherent in a vision of peace, liberty, and justice, but living into them with purpose and integrity.

So what is your ugly tree-shingle? Getting it out of your tree might be a step toward embodying your deepest values.

Rev. Randy Partain